okay. so i'm awful, and i haven't updated in forever. i've been super busy with school and work and getting my apartment all situated, but now i'm good to go. so expect lots more updates soon. review and tell me what you think- good, bad, ideas. whatever :)

Another Kind of Green

The Tension and The Terror

Lucas had heard Nathan in the hallway. Hell, everyone had heard Nathan in the hallway. But it gave Lucas some motivation. If Nate could make all that he had done right again, so could Lucas. And Lucas was really tired of "playing this game."

He also knew that something bad had happened to Brooke, and that scared him. First, there was the bruise on her wrist, and her story for that didn't seem too convincing. Now she's showing up with larger bruises around her eye. What if this pattern progressed and something worse happened? He couldn't lose Brooke before he even had a chance to "have" her. But who could be doing this to her?

He made his way through the school parking lot and got into his truck. He drove quickly home, and found the phone book.

"How was school today Lucas?" His mother said entering the kitchen.

"Ah, same old, same old I guess." He replied flipping through the pages.

"Can I help you with something?" She gave him a questioning look.

"Do you know the Davis'?" He asked her, still searching through the book.

"Brooke's parents?"

"Yeah."

"Yeah, I went to high school with her father."

"Do you know where they live?"

"Well, they used to live in a gorgeous house on Water Street, but then they moved. I think maybe to Parsons."

Lucas found a Davis listing on Parsons Road and smiled.

"Thanks Mom. I'll be back in a little bit."

-

Brooke sat on the couch flipping through a fashion magazine when she heard something moving down the hallway.

'Great. He's up.' She thought to herself. She watched as he stumbled down the hallway and grabbed a beer out of the fridge. He then plopped himself down on the recliner beside her and flipped on the TV.

Brooke sat there, unable to read because of the sound, and disgusted by the smell coming off of her father. She stood up and made her way back to her own bedroom where she could read in peace.

Several moments later, she heard a knock at the door. She could tell her father was already on his way to the door, so she stayed put on her bed.

"BROOOOOOOOOOOOKE!" She heard her father yell down the hall way. "GET YOUR SLUTTY ASS OUT HERE!"

Scared, she made her way out into the kitchen and then into the den. She saw a very scared Lucas standing at the door.

"Lucas, what are you doing here?" She said panicky.

"I-uh, came-" But he was cut off by Brooke's father.

"You care to explain this you little whore? Your mother runs off and instead of helping me your becoming the town slut?"

Lucas couldn't believe what he was hearing. Obviously this man was drunk, but even in that status how could he allow himself to say those words to his own daughter. And he thought Dan was bad.

"No, Dad. Look, Lucas is a friend. That's all."

"Sure, that's all. Just like your mother's 'friend' right?" He quoted "friend" with his fingers.

"Dad, it's not like that." She pleaded with him. She was embarrassed that Lucas was here, seeing this situation. Haley knew of what happened to Brooke, but she never saw it.

"Lucas, I think you should leave." She looked past her father.

Lucas could see her eyes were pleading with him, but he saw the fear that accompanied them and there was no way he was going to leave. Not after seeing the bruises, and that look in her eyes.

But before either could say anything, Brooke's father brought up his arm and hit Brooke square in the face. She stumbled to the ground, bringing her hands to where she had just been hitting. That was enough for Lucas. He ran over, took Rick by the shoulder, turned him around and punched him square in the nose. Rick fell to the ground, creating a loud sound as he hit the ground. Lucas went over to Brooke, picking her bridal style and carried her out of the house.

He continued to carry her as he walked to his truck, and he placed her in the passenger seat. She was out of it, and he didn't know whether he should take her to the hospital or just get here away from this place.

Ten minutes later, he pulled into his own drive. He got Brooke out of the truck and carried her inside. His mother, after hearing the door slam, made her way into the foyer.

"Lucas! Is she okay?" She said putting her hand to her mouth.

"I don't know." Lucas' voice cracked. He was trying as hard as he could to not break down when he saw Brooke lying unconscious in his arms.

"Go lay her down in the guest bedroom, I'll call the doctor."

Lucas did as his mother was told and laid Brooke gently down on the bed. He pulled up a chair, and sat there with her hand in his. His mother stood quietly in the doorway, waiting for the doctor to arrive.

Several minutes later, the doctor arrived and went into the room with Brooke while Lucas and Karen waited outside.

"Lucas, how did this happen?" Karen asked worriedly.

"Her... father. He hit her." Lucas was still in a state of shock.

"Oh, Lucas that's awful."

"I'm not letting her go back there." His voice was firm.

"I wouldn't think even think of it." She said.

"I'll be right back, Mom." Lucas made his way out into the kitchen, the phone book still on the counter. He flipped through it and tried calling Haley's number. The call went straight to the answering machine several times, so he gave up. He next called Nathan's cell phone.

"Hey Lucas, what's up?" Nathan said sounding cheery.

"Nate, are you with Haley?"

"Yeah." He was less enthused this time when he heard the fear in Lucas' voice. "Lucas, what is it?"

"Just get to my house. Now." He said quickly and then hung up the phone. He made his way back into the living room where his mom was sitting on the couch, hear head in her hands.

"We need to tell the police Lucas."

"I know. I just don't think she'll be happy about it."

"Of course she won't, but it's the best for her. She'll understand that." Karen made her way into the kitchen, and Lucas could hear her on the phone.

Haley and Nathan arrived shortly after, and Lucas explained what happened to them. As soon as she heard the news, Haley broke down.

"I should have said something a long time ago." She said in between sobs. Nathan put his arms around, trying to stabilize her. "She wouldn't let me say anything."

Lucas watched as the newly formed couple found comfort in each other. In all of this mess, he was glad they had each other.

The police arrived after that, and Lucas immediately went into questioning. The questioning didn't last as long as he had expected, since Brooke was unconscious, and Lucas was a first-hand witness. They immediately went to Brooke's house to take her father in.

After most of the commotion had settled down, the four sat down.

"Haley?" Karen asked, her voice small and weak. "Where is Brooke's mother?"

"I have no idea. She left them about a week or so ago."

Karen put her head back into her hands. This mess was growing larger by the minute.

"Well, do you think Brooke could stay with you?" Lucas made his way into the conversation. "She is not going back there."

"Brooke's always been apart of my family. I mean, she spends the night a lot, but I don't know if she'd be able to actually live with us. Four of my brothers and sisters still live at home. My parents struggle enough trying to support them."

"She'll stay here." Karen said straightly. "It's only me and Lucas here. It's about time we actually put that guest bedroom into use."

Lucas looked at his mother, thankful. She was the strongest person he ever knew, and she had the biggest heart in the world.

They were broken out of the conversation by the reappearance of the doctor.

"I think Brooke is going to be fine. She took a powerful hit to the head. I want to run a few tests on her. Has this happened before?"

There was silence for a moment until Haley spoke up. "Yes." She said quietly.

"Well, I'll call for a squad. I just want to make sure there isn't more damage to her head than what's apparent." He said pulling out his phone. He walked into another room.

"This is all my fault." Haley said, starting to cry again.

"Haley." Karen said strongly. "This is not your fault."

"I didn't say anything. I should have said something!" She was sobbing harder. Karen made her way to the couch and knelt in front of Haley, taking her hands in her own.

"You have been there for Brooke longer than anyone else. You were only doing what she asked. Think of how much you have helped her through this. You have always been the person she could count on. You should feel good about that, and have faith that Brooke's going to be okay."

"She will be." Haley said, sniffling. "She's the strongest person I know."

Nathan put his arm back around her, giving her a squeeze to comfort and leaned to kiss the side of her head. The squad arrived five minutes later, and they all watched as the paramedics secured Brooke to the stretcher and packed her away into the emergency vehicle.

Lucas had already made his way to his mother's car, and everyone else followed. After the squad pulled out, he followed it the entire way to the hospital.

-

An hour later, Lucas, Karen, Haley, and Nathan sat waiting patiently outside of Brooke's hospital room. The doctors had been running every test possible, and promised to dismiss her as soon as they were done. What worried Lucas was that Brooke had still not woken up yet.

A doctor in a white lab coat that none of them knew approached them.

"Brooke is going to be okay. We didn't find any evidence of damage to her brain or any of her other organs for that matter. Besides a few bumps and bruises, she appears to be very healthy. She's waking now. You can all go in and see her while we prepare to send her home."

Lucas let out a sigh of relief. She was going to be okay, and from now on out he would never let anything happen to her ever again.